Develop Patterns for Achievement
How do my strengths land?
While physical fitness often influences superficial judgments, mental and emotional fitness shapes deeper, longer-lasting impressions. By understanding how our strengths are perceived, we can fine-tune how we use them, fostering stronger connections and positive treatment from others. This self-awareness not only enhances our relationships but also empowers us to grow into the best versions of ourselves.
Physical fitness is often visible to others—it’s reflected in posture, energy levels, and physical appearance. However, mental and emotional fitness is less outwardly visible and equally impactful. It’s reflected in how we communicate, handle stress, and navigate relationships. These traits significantly affect how others experience us and, ultimately, how they treat us. For example:
- If you display emotional resilience during a crisis, others may see you as a dependable leader.
- If you struggle with stress visibly, they may perceive you as overwhelmed or unreliable, even if you’re doing your best.
Why We Must Consider How Our Strengths Land on Others
Our mental and emotional strengths—such as empathy, optimism, or decisiveness—don’t exist in isolation. Their effectiveness depends on how they are perceived and received by others. For instance:
- Empathy can strengthen relationships, but if expressed in a way that seems intrusive, it may make others uncomfortable.
- Confidence can inspire trust, but if it comes across as arrogance, it may alienate people.
Considering how our strengths “land” on others means being mindful of their perceptions, needs, and boundaries. This awareness helps us adapt our approach to ensure our strengths are seen as assets rather than potential liabilities. Our strengths, while inherently positive, can have varying effects based on how they are expressed and perceived. Here’s why this awareness is important and how strengths can both empower and disempower others:
Our strengths are powerful tools that shape how we interact with the world, but their impact depends on how they are perceived and experienced by others. Being aware of this impact is crucial for fostering effective relationships, building trust, and creating positive outcomes in both personal and professional settings. Here’s why:
Strengths Can Be Double-Edged Swords
A strength in one context can become a weakness in another if not used thoughtfully. For example:
- Self-Assurance can inspire others but may come across as arrogance if overused.
- Empathy can build deep connections but may feel overwhelming if it leads to over-involvement in others’ issues.
Awareness helps us strike the right balance, ensuring our strengths serve their intended purpose without unintended negative effects.
People Perceive Actions Differently
Each person has unique perspectives, experiences, and sensitivities. A strength that feels positive to you might be misinterpreted by someone else. For example:
Being direct and assertive might seem efficient to you but could feel harsh to someone who values gentler communication.
Understanding how your strengths land on others allows you to adjust your approach, creating alignment and reducing potential friction.
Awareness Enhances Personal Growth
Self-awareness enables you to use your strengths more intentionally, refining how you apply them in different situations. It also fosters humility and adaptability, key traits for personal and professional development.
How to Increase Awareness
- Seek Feedback: Ask colleagues, friends, or family how your actions and strengths affect them.
- Reflect Regularly: Consider how others responded to your behaviour in specific situations.
- Adapt Your Approach: Use feedback and observation to tailor your strengths to different contexts.
Being aware of the impact of your strengths on others ensures they are received positively and effectively. This awareness fosters stronger relationships, better collaboration, and a more balanced approach to leveraging your natural talents. It’s not just about having strengths but about using them in a way that brings out the best in both yourself and those around you.
When you understand how your strengths affect others, you can foster trust and collaboration. It ensures your strengths are seen as assets rather than liabilities in personal or professional interactions.
Strengths Influence Relationships and Collaboration
How others experience your strengths affects how they respond to you.
If your strategic thinking is perceived as dismissive of others’ ideas, it can hinder collaboration.
If your positivity feels genuine and supportive, it can strengthen teamwork and morale.
By being mindful, you ensure your strengths enhance relationships rather than unintentionally causing strain.
Reduce Misunderstandings:
Misaligned perceptions of strengths can lead to conflicts. For instance:
Someone with “Activator” might seem impatient to others who prefer a more deliberate pace.
Awareness helps bridge gaps and align intentions with others’ experiences.
Teams thrive when members’ strengths complement each other. Each individual brings unique talents that, when aligned and understood, create synergy and amplify collective success. However, when strengths are misunderstood or misapplied, they can lead to miscommunication, friction, and inefficiencies. Recognising how your strengths interact with others’ is key to fostering a cohesive and high-performing team.
When strengths are not understood or valued, they can inadvertently cause tension. For example:
- A person with Command might naturally take charge during discussions, which could be perceived as overbearing by someone with Harmony, who values consensus.
- Someone with Adaptability may thrive in changing circumstances, but their flexibility could seem indecisive to a colleague with Focus, who prefers clear direction and stability.
Without awareness, these differences might feel like obstacles. With understanding, they become opportunities for collaboration.
Optimising Collaboration Through Strength Awareness
Recognising how your strengths interact with those of others enables you to adapt your behaviour and maximise team dynamics. Here’s how:
Communicate Strengths Clearly: Share your strengths and how they manifest in your work. For instance, if you have Ideation, explain that you thrive on brainstorming and generating creative solutions.
Example: “I love coming up with innovative ideas, so feel free to let me know if you’re stuck and need fresh perspectives!”
Value Others’ Contributions: Actively recognise and respect the strengths others bring to the table.
Example: If a teammate has Deliberative, acknowledge their thoughtful and cautious approach as essential for risk management, even if it contrasts with your Activator strength.
Bridge Potential Gaps: Pair strengths strategically to address weaknesses or challenges.
Example: A team member with Empathy can help mediate conflicts in a group where Competition drives performance but sometimes leads to tension.
Adapt to the Team Dynamic: Modify how you use your strengths based on the situation and the needs of the group.
Example: If you have Achiever, balance your drive for productivity with understanding that someone with Connectedness may focus on fostering relationships as part of the process.
Practical Example of Strength Synergy
Imagine a project team tasked with launching a new product:
- Strategic team member creates the roadmap.
- Achiever ensures milestones are met on schedule.
- Woo engages stakeholders and builds excitement for the product.
- Restorative resolves any unforeseen issues.
When each member’s contributions are understood and valued, the team operates like a well-oiled machine. Without this understanding, there might be misalignment—for instance, the Achiever feeling frustrated by delays caused by unexpected problem-solving from the Restorative member.
Recognising how your strengths interact with others’ helps reduce friction, enhance collaboration, and create a more dynamic and productive environment.
How Strengths Empower Others
When used effectively, strengths can uplift and energise those around you. For example:
“Positivity” can boost morale and create an optimistic environment.
“Empathy” can make others feel understood and valued.
When you use your strengths to highlight others’ contributions, they feel more confident and capable. For example:
“Developer” and “Maximiser” can empower others by focusing on their growth and potential.
Using your strengths to connect and align others’ efforts creates a unified, empowering dynamic. For example:
“Includer” and “Relator” encourage teamwork and make others feel part of a shared purpose.
People feel empowered when your strengths guide them toward clarity and success. For example:
“Strategic” and “Arranger” can help others navigate challenges effectively.
How Strengths Disempower Others
Overusing strengths can have a negative impact and can leave others feeling overwhelmed and inadequate. For example:
“Command” might come across as domineering.
“Achiever” might set an unsustainable pace for others.
Focusing too much on your own strengths might unintentionally sideline others. For example:
“Ideation” might dominate brainstorming sessions, making others hesitant to share.
“Strategic” may identify the destination without explaining the path, leaving others lost and unsure of how to get there.
When you consistently take charge of certain responsibilities because of your natural abilities, others may defer to you rather than stepping up themselves. For example:
“Responsibility” may habitually take on more work to ensure it’s done right. Over time, this can lead to team members relying on them to handle tasks they are capable of completing.
“Restorative” may always be the one to solve problems, leaving teammates less engaged in problem-solving processes.
This happens when the way we use our strengths conflicts with others’ preferences, expectations, or communication styles, causing misunderstanding or tension. Some strengths inherently shape the way we communicate, and these styles may clash with others’ preferences. Similarly, when strengths are overused or misapplied, they can frustrate others who feel overwhelmed or excluded. For example:
“Analytical” might frustrate those seeking emotional support rather than data or logic.
“Activator” may push for quick action, frustrating teammates who need time to analyse details and consider options, like those with Deliberative or Analytical.
How to Ensure Strengths Empower, Not Disempower
Strengths are most impactful when they empower others. By fostering growth, collaboration, trust, and autonomy, you ensure your strengths uplift those around you, creating a more dynamic, balanced, and successful team. When strengths are used with intention and care, they become tools for collective success rather than individual dominance.
Seek Feedback:
Regularly ask others how your strengths are impacting others to gain insight into their perceptions.
Balance Strengths:
Be mindful not to overuse or underuse your strengths. Adjust your approach based on the context and needs of others.
Adapt to Others’ Strengths:
Understand the strengths of those you interact with and find ways to complement them rather than unintentionally clashing.
Focus on Intentionality:
Use your strengths with a clear, positive purpose, ensuring they align with the goals and well-being of others.
Practice Empathy:
Consider how others experience your strengths and adjust to make them feel supported, valued, and empowered.
Now before moving onto the Four Strengths of Execution, remember to complete your weekly Wellbeing Check.
The Four Strengths of Execution
The Four Strengths of Execution is a framework designed to help teams and individuals execute your most important priorities effectively to achieve greater success. These steps are especially useful for addressing the challenge of turning intentions into actionable outcomes in the face of competing priorities.
Remember, back at the Launch Pad we discussed why it’s important to build and develop habits. These four steps direct you toward ensuring you continue to act on your habits to achieve your outcomes. Click here to revisit the Launch Pad.
In the strengths world not everyone likes setting and focusing on goals. We focus on lead measures, outcomes and objectives, and therefore use BAAs or Big Ass Achievements.
In other words, we like to “Raise the BAA (bar)” when focusing on our strengths to achieve the success and happiness we search for.
Focus on the Big Ass Achievement (BAA)
Identify and concentrate on the most crucial outcome – your “Big Ass Achievement” (BAAs) – that will make the greatest impact when achieved. Instead of spreading energy across numerous priorities, focus on a few key objectives to ensure excellence in execution.
Execute on the Lead Measures
Differentiate between lag measures (the results you want to achieve) and lead measures (the activities that drive those results). Focus on lead measures because they are both predictive and controllable, enabling teams to influence outcomes proactively.
Maintain an Engaging Scoreboard
Create a clear and simple scoreboard that tracks progress toward the BAAs. The scoreboard should be easily understandable, motivating you and your team by showing where you stand and encouraging accountability.
Establish a Rhythm of Accountability
Establish a rhythm of regular, frequent check-ins (e.g., weekly meetings) where individuals and team members review their commitments, assess progress toward the BAAs, and make plans to overcome obstacles. These meetings may be with a coach, mentor, or leadership team. This discipline ensures ongoing focus and alignment.
By adhering to these four steps, teams and individuals can align their efforts, maintain focus, and effectively achieve their most critical objectives.
To Do List...
- Reflective Questions
- Activity: 7 Day Challenge
With a Coach
- Activity: Mapping for Success
- Activity: What is My BAA
What connections are there between understanding who you are, your innate talents and how you connect with others?
How do you feel when you are recognised and valued for what you do well?
How does how you feel, impact your performance?
How can you use what you have learnt over the past weeks to develop a continuous pattern of performance?
How will you commit to creating a habit for success?
Align Your 7 Day Challenge with Your Top 5 Strengths
This week is about sharpening your ability to direct your top 5 strengths with precision to really Focus Your Strengths. By focusing your strengths intentionally, you’ll gain greater clarity, enhance your concentration, and channel your energy toward achieving specific outcomes. Each day, you’ll aim to use your strengths with heightened awareness and purpose, ensuring they drive your actions, decisions, and success.
You may choose to align one of your top five strengths with each challenge, use all five, or combine them in different ways. Upon reflection, you may even notice how each of your strengths naturally showed up throughout the day. Remember, you can revisit the 7 Day Challenge anytime to incorporate the daily intentions and reflective questions. As you progress, you’ll begin to notice how interconnected each of the seven challenges are.
Today is about gaining new knowledge. The goal is developing your conscious competence to focus your strengths by recognising when and how they show up, applying them with clarity and intention.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus on one of my top 5 strengths, using it with precision to achieve a specific goal. I will be mindful of its influence and ensure I apply it with clear intention.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength with focused intention today?
- How did focusing this strength help me stay clear and purposeful in my actions?
- What did I notice about the results of applying this strength with precision?
Today is about using focus to direct your strengths with intention. Your strengths are most powerful when applied with purpose, helping you stay on track and achieve your goals. The challenge is to use your strengths to maintain concentration and stay in control of your thoughts and actions.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus one of my top 5 strengths to improve my concentration. I will use this strength to eliminate distractions, stay present, and maintain control over my focus and energy.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength to maintain focus and avoid distractions today?
- How did this strength help me stay in control during challenging moments?
- What difference did focusing this strength make in my productivity and mindset?
Language has the power to shape your thoughts, influence your actions, and impact those around you. Today’s challenge is to use your strengths to communicate with clarity, confidence, and focus.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus one of my top 5 strengths to improve my communication. I will speak with clarity and confidence, ensuring my words are purposeful and aligned with my goals.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength to communicate with focus and intention today?
- How did this strength help me express myself clearly and confidently?
- How did focusing this strength in my communication impact my interactions and outcomes?
Understanding your why gives meaning to your actions and fuels long-term motivation. Today’s challenge is to focus your strengths on actions that align with your long-term goals and purpose.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus one of my top 5 strengths toward achieving a goal that aligns with my purpose. I will use this strength to maintain clarity, stay motivated, and make choices that support my long-term success.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength to stay aligned with my purpose today?
- When did I notice this strength helping me stay focused on my long-term goals?
- How did focusing this strength impact my motivation and decision-making?
Habits are the building blocks of success. Today’s challenge is to use your strengths to reinforce habits that support sustained focus and success.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus one of my top 5 strengths to strengthen a habit that contributes to my success. I will use this strength to stay consistent, overcome resistance, and maintain momentum.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength to maintain a habit or routine today?
- How did focusing this strength help me stay consistent and committed?
- What difference did using this strength make in my progress and results?
Growth comes from learning something new, practicing it with intention, and sharing your knowledge with others. Today’s challenge is to
focus your strengths to enhance your learning, apply new knowledge, and share insights with others.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus one of my top 5 strengths to accelerate my learning and apply what I know with purpose. I will use this strength to approach learning with focus, practice with intention, and share my insights to create value for others.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength to focus on learning something new today?
- How did I apply this strength to practice with intention and purpose?
- How did sharing my knowledge help reinforce my understanding and growth?
Sharing your strengths and insights with others creates a ripple effect of growth and empowerment. Today’s challenge is to focus your strengths to guide and support others with clarity, confidence, and purpose.
Today’s Intention:
Today, I will focus one of my top 5 strengths on coaching or teaching someone else. I will use this strength to communicate with clarity, provide guidance with confidence, and empower others to reach their goals.
Reflective Questions:
- How did I use my chosen strength to guide or support someone else today?
- How did focusing this strength help me communicate and teach with confidence and purpose?
- What impact did using this strength have on the other person’s growth, and how did it reinforce my own focus and confidence?
Taking just a few minutes each day to reflect on these questions can have a powerful impact on your wellbeing and personal growth. This daily check is designed to help you:
Stay Focused on What Matters Most
By pausing to reflect, you’ll become more aware of how you’re spending your time, energy, and attention – allowing you to make intentional choices that align with your goals and values.Celebrate Small Wins
Noticing moments of progress, connection, or positivity helps boost your confidence and reinforces healthy habits that contribute to your happiness.Build a Stronger Mindset
Mindful reflection can help you identify areas of growth, reduce stress, and develop a greater sense of control over your week.Foster Connection and Balance
Recognising meaningful interactions and balancing work with life outside of it improves your relationships and overall satisfaction.Contribute to a Positive Environment
Your feedback can inspire changes that benefit your workplace or community, helping create a space where everyone can thrive.
Commit to just a few minutes each day – it’s an investment in yourself and a simple step toward a happier, more fulfilled life.